Tobacco steaming apparatus



Nov. 29, 1960 F. VAN OVERLOOP 2,962,222

TOBACCO STEAMING APPARATUS Filed July 17. 1959 BY 46%. 5M

7 JMAZZEM its St TOBACCO STEAMING APPARATUS Florent Van Overloop, R.R. 3, Bothwell, Ontario, Canada Filed July 17, 1959, Ser. No. 827,826

1 Claim. (Cl. 239251) This invention relates to an apparatus for distributing steam in tobacco curing kilns.

In the curing of tobacco in kilns, it is necessary at one or more stages of the curing procedure to increase the humidity in the kiln. Moreover, in the casing step, steaming of the tobacco prior to handling is frequently required. The usual manner of steaming is by the manual use of a hose through which the steam is applied to various parts of the kiln. Obviously, this results in a haphazard and non-uniform application of steam resulting in an excessive amount in some sections of the kiln and an inadequate amount in others. As a consequence, the tobacco leaves become spotted and damaged and the quality of the tobacco produced varies greatly.

It is an object of this invention to provide a tobacco steaming apparatus of simple structure which may be employed to distribute steam effectively and uniformly throughout a fixed area.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a steaming apparatus in accordance with the invention, and

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation, partly in section, of a steam distributing device.

In the drawing, a steam distributing device in accordance with the invention is generally indicated at 1. It comprises a head 2 mounted on a sleeve 3 freely rotatable in a coupling 4 to which is connected a steam supply pipe 5 by means of, for instance, an elbow 6. Means for supporting the device with the rotatable sleeve in upright position may comprise a tubular member 7 fixed to the elbow 6 and adapted to be mounted on a post 8 as by means of set screw 9.

The head 2 comprises a housing 10 fixed to the end of sleeve 3, and providing a steam receiving chamber 11 axially arranged with respect to sleeve 3. A plurality of tubes 12 are fixed to the housing and extend radially outwardly therefrom. Each tube 12 is preferably slightly inclined upwardly from a plane perpendicular to the axis of the housing. The angle of inclination may be of the order 10". Each tube 12 may have a length of 6 to 12 inches and preferably of the order of 9-10 inches. A tube 13 also extends axially upwardly from the housing 12 such tube having a length of preferably 6-8 inches. Each tube 12 and 13 may have an internal diameter of A; to A1 inch and is preferably of the order of 7 inch. Each tube 12 and 13 may be formed of light, thin-walled, metal tubing such as copper. Moreover, each tube 12 and 13 is preferably provided with a flared mouth 14.

v 2,962,222 PeItented. Nov. 29,

One of tubes 1-2-hasa minor-portion 15'--adjoiningits free end which is slightly inclined laterally from the axis of the main portion of the tube. Preferably, also, tube 13 has an end portion 16 which is slightly inclined from the axis of the remaining portion thereof.

A reinforcing plate 17 may be fixed to the tubes 12, such plate having an opening 18 for passage of the tube 13.

It will be apparent that when steam is fed into cham* ber 11 by means of pipe 5, it will be distributed therefrom through tubes 12 and 13. Since at least one of tubes 12 has an inclined portion 15, the head assembly including the sleeve 3, housing 10 and tubes 12 and 13 will revolve. However, since the remaining tubes 12 are straight and since the angle of inclination of tube portion 15 is substantially less than 45 and will not ordinarily exceed 25 from the axis of the main portion of the tube, the head assembly will revolve relatively slowly and in the range of 10 to 25 revolutions per minute. The speed of revolution would ordinarily vary in accordance with the pressure of steam fed to chamber 11. However, such speed may be readily controlled by changing the angle of inclination of tube portion 15 to correspond with the steam pressure. It will be apparent that the angle 'of inclination may be readily varied manually because of the light-walled soft metal structure of the tube.

It has been found that a steam distributing device as described, when placed centrally in a kiln of approximately 24 feet square will provide uniform distribution of steam throughout the entire kiln space. Steam will ordinarily be supplied to the device under a pressure of 40-50 pounds. The streams of steam issuing from the tube are approximately 15 feet in length, i.e., somewhat more than the distance (approximately 12 feet) of the device from the walls of the kiln.

The steam distributing device described may be associated with a circulating fan, as indicated in Figure 1. As shown, a fan 19 is mounted in an open-ended cylindrical casing 20 on a stand 21 for revolution about a vertical axis. It will be apparent that the fan will produce a circulation of air upwardly through casing 20. Surmounting the casing and in spaced relation thereto is an air distributing conical baflie 22. The bafile is adjustably supported as to height on rods 23. The bafile has a diameter approximately equal or slightly larger than that of the casing 20 and has its concave surface disposed in facing realtion to the fan.

The rods 23 have portion 24 extending upwardly of the battle and each such portion carrim an inwardly di rected arm 25. The inner ends of arms 25 carry a centrally located socket member 26 for reception of the post 8 of the steam distributing device. Thus, the latter device is located in substantially axial surmounting relation to the fan 19 and bafile 22.

I claim:

A steam distributing device for tobacco kilns which comprises a cylindrical housing rotatably mounted about the axis thereof, said housing having a steam receiving chamber, means for suppling steam to said chamber, a tube of unitary form mounted on said housing and extending axially outwardly therefrom, at least four tubes each of unitary form mounted on said housing and extending radially outwardly therefrom and inclined from tube and in axial alignment with the adjoining portion of 5 said tube, said axial tube and one of said radial tubes each having a free end minor portion inclined at an angle substantially less than 45 with respect to the axis of the remaining portion thereof, each of the remaining portions of said tubes being straight throughout its extent, said internal diameter of each of said tubes being not substantially in excess of three-sixteenths inch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Sternberg Oct. 8, 1929 Wilson Nov. 19, 1935 Hoffman Feb. 11, 1941 Hundermark Feb. 3, 1942 Cockrell Mar. 31, 1953 Dow May 26, 1953 Barbour et al Aug. 27, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS Australia Aug. 15, 1950 

